


Lifeline

by valiantprincex



Series: Killer's Lullabye [1]
Category: Orphan Black (Comics), Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Gen, helena's life is one big 8(, is the extra OB comics tag necessary it is Probably not but w/e, tho it's better with pupok around, v important, warnings for: scorpion & abuse mentions & blood, you have to read all of pupok's lines in his voice tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-20
Updated: 2015-04-20
Packaged: 2018-03-24 22:38:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3786931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valiantprincex/pseuds/valiantprincex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He says, ‘<em>Do not be afraid.’</em></p><p>(alt. title: a girl and a scorpion exchange greetings and coping mechanisms)</p><p>(knowledge of OB comics issue #2 is helpful but not necessary) (slight spoilers for s3) (as in they're only spoilers if you have not read the comics)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lifeline

**Author's Note:**

> if you've watched Unbreakable Kimmy Schmit, the you will recognize a part of this B)
> 
> pls listen to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eJbxI-jZbA)
> 
> (also, if you haven't read the comics the first bit is from there, the rest is 100% my speculation)

He says, ‘ _Do not be afraid.’_

Helena sees the shadows move, twitching and shimmering until–

‘ _Do not be afraid.’_

But Helena  _is_  afraid; she sets her lip between her teeth and digs her nails into her arms but she can't stop the jackrabbiting of her pulse, the shaking.

She tucks her head into the crook of her arm and feels grime and blood streak against her face. “I don’t want to die in here,” she whispers, horse, her breath too quick in her throat.

‘ _Then don’t.’_

 

* * *

 

 

## 1997, Ukraine

 

The first time she sees him her head hurts. The ground is rough under her cheek and her mouth tastes like blood; blood and spit and blood. Helena shivers against the bars of the cage, with each breath she hears a scratching, rattling, feels as if her skin is being pulled apart. Her eyes dart quick across the room, it’s empty, empty and dark and cold and she can hear  _things_ slithering on the floor. Snakes and fleas and scampering things, too-many legs scrabbling against the floor. One high, half-closed window sends an arc of moonlight across the floor – Helena reaches out to it and her fingers fall short, useless.

At first, he’s only a twitching shadow, making her shake, making the echoing noises in her head scream louder.

“Who are you,” she breathes. In the dim light of the room his back seems to shimmer, ever changing in the shadows.

‘ _Who do you want me to be,’_  he says, hisses, rattles, comes into the light. He comes slowly, cautiously. Politely, as Helena has been taught to approach someone.

Helena nudges herself away from him, pushing her back against the side of the cage. The metal digs into her back, making lines she knows will itch and burn.

“I don’t know.”

‘ _That’s quite alright,’_ he whispers, creeping closer. Helena thinks she can hear the scrape of his legs against the floor. When he starts crawling up her arm she shivers, tries to pull away and is met with iron.

 _'Do not be afraid,_ ' he says to her, nestling in the crook of her neck.

"I am not afraid," Helena says, and her breath comes quick and shallow. Her jaw aches and so she shifts to rest her cheek against the side of the cage, flush with cold metal.

' _If you say so.'_

Helena says nothing in reply, closes her eyes against the throbbing pain.

 _'Do you like it,'_  he drawls, curving the hiss upward. ' _When he hits you like this.'_

"I did a bad thing," Helena croaks, tracing the edge of the cage with one finger. The rusted edge digs into her flesh as she drags it across, and when she brings her fingers to her lips she feels heat.

 _'I don't think so,'_ he murmurs, shifting slightly on her skin.

"He was right to punish me."

' _Was he now,'_  the creature mutters, and Helena can feel him step back-forth on her neck. ' _Does it hurt?'_

"Not very much," Helena lies, each movement of her jaw burning.

' _How about this.'_  The scorpion crawls down to stand before her.  _'Count to ten. Ten seconds, kiddo.'_

Helena stares at him, hearing the word reverberate in her mind.  _Kiddo_. Not  _smittya_ or  _daremnyy_ or  _nichoho_ or  _Helena_  or  _durnyy_. She lets herself relax, lets her bones sag and her fists uncleach. The creature creeps closer, stepping lightly into the cage, over the bars like Helena wishes she could do, but the other way around.  _Out_. But the cage is cold and dark and lonely and maybe a friend here is okay. She reaches a finger to trace lightly over his back.  

‘ _Well?’_  He arches his stinger, pressing against Helena's trailing finger.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five." She hesitates.

_'Go on.'_

"Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten."

_'Good, now that wasn't that hard was it, kiddo.'_

"No," Helena says, biting her lip.

' _Ten seconds. You can survive anything for ten seconds, yes?'_

"Yes," Helena says. "I think so."

' _Yes you can. Just ten seconds. And when they're over count to ten again, and again.'_

"It  _hurts_ ," Helena whimpers, tracing the edge of her jaw.

 _'I know.'_ He crawls back to her, settling on her stomach.  _'Come on now, start with one.'_

She starts whispering, one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten and back-again, the words turning meaningless between her lips.

onetwothreefoufivesixseveneightnine–

 _'Someday,'_ comes the hiss: ' _you will kill them all.'_

–ten.

_Someday, you will kill them all.'_

_~_

 

When Tomas comes back, flings open the cage door and drags Helena – blinking, shaking – into the light she casts one glance back into the cage.

It's empty.

' _Do not worry,'_  comes the voice.

' _I am always with you.'_

**Author's Note:**

> the various ukranian words pupok does /not/ call helena are all variations of "trash", "worthless", etc. 8'( thanks google translate
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you liked! I'm planning on writing multiple Helena & Pupok fics, hence the series. 
> 
> If you liked a kudo and/or comment would make my day!


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